Fluid applicator



A ril 29, 1958 T, QCEWAN 2,832,087

FLUID APPLICATOR Filed June 14, 1955 INVENTOR THOMAS J. MEWAN giullaw ATTORNEY United States Patent BLUE APPLICATOR Thomas 5. McEwan, Darien, Conn, assignor to Etiehard Hudnut, New York, N. Y., a corporation of blew it Application June 14, 1955, Serial No. 515,281

1 Claim. (Cl. 15-136) This invention relates to liquid applicators, and particularly to liquid applicators which are used to apply tint to the hair.

Prior devices of this type have been unsuitable for number of reasons. in certain of these, the tinting liquid is applied by means of a brush, but in. these devices it is impossible to apply the liquid uniformly, and a consequent streaking of the hair results.

Other devices are of the type to which the present invention relates and include a receptacle for the tinting liquid and an arrangement for dispensing the liquid through a sponge at the open end of the receptacle. A principal disadvantage of these devices is that after using, the sponge tends to clog with the tinting liquid which dries rather rapidly. Another disadvantage is that there are not provided proper means for forcing the tinting liquid into the sponge where it is usable in the application process.

The present invention is designed to overcome the dis advantages of the prior devices and comprises essentially a flexible polyethylene container adapted to dispense liquid into a cap which is screw threaded for removable engagement with the container. with a polyurethane sponge Which is removably mounted in the container cap. This arrangement permits the dispenser to be filled only when it is about to be used and then, immediately following use, all parts can be separated from each other and the container, cap and sponge thoroughly cleaned to avoid undesirable drying of the tinting liquid on the operative parts. The use of the flexible, resilient, polyethylene container permits an effective control of the amount of liquid forced through the sponge.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide liquid applicator embodying a flexible, resilient container cooperating with a sponge.

it is a further object of the invention to provide a liquid a plicator in which the operating parts can easily be separated from one another and cleaned after use.

These and other objects will become more readily apparent from the consideration of the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

l is an elevational view of the invention;

2 is a bottom plan View of the cap portion; and

Pig. 3 is an exploded view, partly in section.

The tube 10 is formed of polyethylene and sealed at one end 3d. The other end of the tube is threaded at 26 to receive a cap 12 having complementary threads 28. The cap has an upper portion 16 which receives a sponge 2%, preferably made from polyurethane, and a lower portion 14 which contains the internal threads 28 and a plurality of ridges 18 around the circumference thereof to assist the threading of the cap to and from the container.

Referring particularly to Fig. 3, it is seen that the upper portion 16 of the cap is formed with a plurality of downwardly and inwardly extending prongs 32, which are molded to an annular flange 30 integral with the cap.

Before it is inserted in the upper portion of the cap,

Fig.

The cap is provided 2,832,087 l atented Apr. 29, 1.958

bore of the upper end to and imparting a slight relative rotation between the sponge and the cap. After the sponge has been inserted, it is released and the surface thereof engages prongs 32 which penetrate into the sponge and firmly hold the sponge in place during use.

After the applicator has been used, the cap is removed from the tube and the sponge can be removed from the cap merely by twisting and forcing the sponge downwardly toward the threaded end 14 until it can be pulled out from that end. Thus all the parts can be easily cleaned.

The invention described in the foregoing is not only advantageous from the standpoint of use and re-use by the purchaser, but it should be obvious that the assembly of the invention by the manufacturer is extremely simply and avoids the use of adhesives, which not only add to the cost of materials, but increase the number of steps necessary to complete the manufactured article.

In a general manner, while there has been disclosed in the above description what is deemed to be the most practical and efiicient embodiment of the invention, it should be well understood that the invention is not limited to such embodiment, as there might be changes made in the arrangement disposition and form of the parts Without departing from the principle of the present invention as contemplated within the scope of the accompanying claim.

I claim:

A liquid applicator for hair arranged for convenient disassembly and cleaning comprising a squeezable container having a wide discharge opening, a cap having a smooth cylindrical bore extending therethrough coeXtensive in diameter with said container opening and communicating therewith, means at the lower end of said cap for mounting said cap on said container at said container opening so that the cylindrical container opening and the bore of said cap form one continuous passage of uniform diameter, said cap having downwardly directed prongs mounted at the upper end thereof, said prongs having radially inward surfaces extending parallel with the inner surface of said cylindrical bore to minimize obstruction to the downward passage of a sponge when such sponge is disassembled from said cap, and anormally cylindrical polyurethane sponge having a lower neck portion compressed into said upper end and being retained therein against upward movement solely by said prongs, said sponge, when inserted in said cap, having a crown portion extending away from said cap, said crown portion being fan-shaped in cross section and being, at its greatest diameter, approximately twice the diameter of said compressed neck portion to present a smooth arcuate upper end surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 224,033 Newton Feb. 3, 1880 336,945 Redington Mar. 2, 1886 656,301 Pfeiifer Aug. 21, 1900 2,698,452 Osrow .a Jan. 4, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,075,047 France a- Apr. 7, 1954 OTHER REFERENCES Modern Plastics, Nov. 1954, vol. 32, No. 3 (pages 106-8, relied on). (Copy in Scientific Library.) 

